Drive mechanism for tire molds



March 19, 1946. E. A. @LYNN DRIVE MCHANISM FOR TIRE MOLDS Original Filed March 22, 1943 -ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 19, 1946 Mold yCorporation `of California, vvLodi, `Calif., ya corporation .of `v:California original pplicfation Ma provide, an improved drive mechanism for relatively 'movable parts `of a tire repair or tread vulcanizing mold; suchmechanism .including a novel clutch unit.

The present application is'. a division of application, Serial No. 579,999 led March 22, 1943, on an invention entitled Interchangeable matrix tread mold. I V Another object `of theinvention is to provide a'drive mechanism, as above, especially adapted for use in -operative connection with a tread vul-V canizing mold which includes a bed plate and a head plate mounted in facing relation to each other `and for relative `axial movement whereby to vforcefully but removably engage an initially A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose foi which it is designed.

These objects I w1ll fully appear by a rperusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a tread vulcanizing mold embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, enlarged, of the clutch unit which is included in the drive mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the improved drive mechanism is hereshown as incorporated tread vulcanizing mold which comprises a circular horizontal bed plate I which includes, in integral relation, a central hub 2 and a depending peripheral ange 3. strengthening webs 4 extend the hub 2 and the flange 3. The bed plate is supiioor by legs 5. disposed in adjacent but spaced relation above the bed plate and in axial alinement with the latter; adjacent faces of the plates I and 6 being parallel. The head plate 6 likewise includes a hub 'I, an upstanding peripheral ange 8, and strengthening webs 9 extending therebetween.

'I'he head plate 6 is supported above the bed I moval, respectively.

f xed on shaft UNITlaD STATES PATENT oi-FICE rch 22,1943, isenal'No, Divided nand thisl application `October vSerial"No.'558,569 n n "This invention-,relates to, land itis an object toA plate I for axial movement by means of `ajpair of vertical spindles vI'llgwhich are disposedin diametrally opposed relation; such spindles being rotatably 'butaxially immovably j ournaled' inconnection with the bed'pla'te `adjacent the periphery `thereof by bearings indicated generally -at II. These spindles LIU "project vertically some distance `above the bed plate l and threadin'gly engage, as at I2, in vertical sleeves I3 i'lxedin the head plate lv ladjacent its `periphery Aand lat diametrally Yopposed points therein. By simul-l taneousrotation of the -spindles I0 in one direction or the other, the head plate 6 is either lowered or raised relative to the bed plate for the purpose of clamping a tire tread vulcanizing ymatrix yM therebetween, yor releasing said matrix for re- "Si'multaneous rotation of the spindles I- is accomplished through themediumvof the drive mechanism which is the subject of the-present invention, and *which mechanism comprises thefollowing:

A bevel gear I 4 is secured on the 'lower fend of each spindle below the bed plate I and said bevel gears are driven by pinions I5 xed on a horizontal shaft I6 journaled beneath said bed plate on depending brackets I'I. A spur gear I8 is I6 and is driven, at reduced speed, from a motor I9 mounted on and depending from the bed plate; the axis of said motor I 9 being parallel to the shaft I6. A clutch unit, indicated generally at 2U, is interposed between the gear I8 and the motor I9. The motor I9 is of reversible type and is controlled by means of a manually actuated reversing switch 2| interposed in the current supply cable 22 for said motor.

The clutch unit 20, which is shown in detail in Fig. 2, comprises the following:

The drive shaft 23 of motor I9 extends axially into and is keyed to an elongated hub 24 of a radial clutch disc 25 formed integral with said hub. The other disc or element of the clutch is formed as a hollow cup 26 having a clutch lining the clutch disc with, said pinion meshing in driving relation with the gear I8.

As Will be apparent, limited axial movement of thel cup 26 in the direction of the disc 25 will result in coupling o f the clutch and rotation of the 29 and 23 are held in alinement and the pinionA and clutch cup unit are supported by a floating shaft 29a seated at its ends in hubv24 and bushing 33 and extending axially through the pinion 28 and cup member 26. By means of this construction, driving of shaft 23 normally does not tend to rotate shaftV 29. A thrust bearing unit: .Y 35 freely surrounds shaft 29a and is engaged ends of 'pinion 28 and collar `32. As will be obvious, swinging movement of between adjacent the lever 3l causes the threaded bushing 33 to be shifted in a direction either toward or away from the pinion'28 and this movement is .imparted'to said pinion and cup 26, resulting either in engagement or disengagement of the clutch. When the motor is running in one' direction or the other engagement of the clutch causes lowering or raising of the head rplateto clampingly engage, or to release, respectively, the matrix M.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desirerto secure by Letters Patent is:

as defined by the ap- 1. A manually controlled drive mechanism comprising a driven shaft, another shaft disposed in axial alinement with said driven shaft and mounted for rotation and limited axial movement, a clutch including a pair of co-operating .clutch elements, one element being fixed on the drivenshaft and the other elementbeing mounted for rotation relative thereto, a pinion fixed axially on said other clutch element, a gear driven by said pinion, and hand control means including said other shaft operative to shift said pinion axially to engage the clutch elements, such control means comprising a threaded bushing xed on said other shaft in axially alined, adjacent but spaced relation to the pinion, a xed collar into which said bushing is threaded, an annular bearing unit engaged between the bushing and pinv ion, and an exposed radial hand lever secured on said other shaft.

. 2. A manually controlled drive mechanism comprising a driven shaft, a clutch element mounted in driving relation with said driven shaft, an in teriorly threaded fixed collar supported in spaced relation with respect to said clutch element, a bushing threaded through the collar, a hand operated means for turning the bushing to advance or retract it through the collar, a floating shaft journaled in the bushing and in the clutch element, a gear mounted on the iioating shaft between the bushing and the clutch element, a second clutch element on the gear engageable lwith the first clutch element to place the driven shaft into driving connection with the gear, the bushing, when advanced through the collar, engaging the gear and advancing it along said oating shaft-to bring the two clutch elements into engagement with each other.

3. A device as in claim 2 and including antifriction bearings slidable on the oating shaft and interposed between the bushing and gear.

EDWIN A. GLYNN. 

